I expected not to be
able to speak with anybody in Paris, except, now and then, with a stray
German or Englishman. Soon after entering the train at Charing Cross I met
a Frenchman (Prof. P. Simond who could speak English fluently, having
occupied his time in England in teaching French, and was on his way to
Paris to spend his vacation there. He offered at once, very kindly, to
assist me in Paris, and I felt from that moment that I should be ten-fold
luckier in making my entry into Paris than I had thus far had reason to
expect. The train left London at 6:35 p.m., and was to make connection
with a steamer for Calais, (pron. K[)a]l'[)i]), thence by rail to Paris,
reaching the latter place the next afternoon. The "through ticket" 3rd
Class, from London to Paris, cost 21 shillings. Distance 262 miles.

Soon after leaving London, I discovered that I was surrounded by the
family of an English merchant, who, having retired from business, had
taken his wife and daughters to make a trip to the Continent, with a view
to see France and Germany. The mother expressed great delight on learning
that I was an American, remarking that "Americans are not so _stiff_ in
their intercourse." It was lot long before I felt that I was in a fair
position to spend the _day and night en route from London to Paris_
pleasantly, even if we were to be confined to the cars and the boat with
the exception of a few hours.

We crossed the Strait of Dover at about midnight, though not _unawares_!

As I had no fears of getting sea-sick upon the Strait of Dover, I took my
seat on the deck in confidence of a pleasant voyage. Mrs. L. soon asked me
whether I did not expect to get sick, stating that she was in great fear
of it. I replied that I hoped our passage was too short for getting sick,
as the waves were not apt to rise very high in such a narrow strait. But I
was mistaken; the sick were soon moaning in every direction. My gay
companions all disappeared except the old gentleman and his younger
daughter. A large steamship of 3,000 tons burden would probably show more
dignity, but the little steamer upon which we had taken passage, was as
fiercely knocked about by the waves, and made fully as much ado about it,
as the old "Manhattan" ever did in the middle of the Atlantic. The young
lady was keeping close to her father and had already ceased to laugh, when
I asked him the last time about their health. _He_ was well, but the young
lady was also becoming diz